Surgical Retractor, Methods of Making a Surgical Retractor, and Methods of Retracting Tissue

Abstract

In an example, a surgical retractor includes an elongated shaft extending from a first end to a second end, and a retractor blade extending from the second end of the elongated shaft. The elongated shaft defines an internal chamber. The elongated shaft includes a handle portion at the first end of the elongated shaft, a suction conduit in a first lateral portion of the internal chamber, and a light conduit in a second lateral portion of the internal chamber. The suction conduit extends from a suction port at the first end to a suction aperture at the second end. The light conduit extends from a light-input port at the first end to a light aperture at the second end. The suction conduit and the light conduit are substantially coplanar. The surgical retractor also includes an optical waveguide in the light conduit of the elongated shaft.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method of retracting tissue, comprising:
 retracting, using a surgical retractor, tissue to expose a surgical site, wherein the surgical retractor comprises:
 an elongated shaft extending from a first end to a second end, wherein the elongated shaft defines an internal chamber, wherein the elongated shaft comprises:
 (i) a handle portion at the first end of the elongated shaft, 
 (ii) a suction conduit in a first lateral portion of the internal chamber, wherein the suction conduit extends from a suction port at the first end to a suction aperture at the second end, 
 (iii) a light conduit in a second lateral portion of the internal chamber, wherein the light conduit extends from a light-input port at the first end to a light aperture at the second end, 
 
 a retractor blade extending from the second end of the elongated shaft, and 
 an optical waveguide in the light conduit of the elongated shaft; 
   while retracting the tissue, illuminating the surgical site using the optical waveguide; and   while retracting the tissue, applying suction using the suction conduit to evacuate one or more substances from the surgical site.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising coupling the light-input port to a light source,
 wherein illuminating the surgical site comprises transmitting, via the light-input port, light from the light source to the optical waveguide in the light conduit.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising coupling the suction port to a vacuum source,
 wherein applying suction using the suction conduit comprises generating suction by the vacuum source.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein retracting the tissue comprises bending the elongated shaft towards the retractor blade at the second end of the elongated shaft such that the suction aperture and the light aperture face a surgical site. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the retractor blade comprises a protrusion, which extends in a direction that is parallel to a direction from the second end of the elongated shaft toward the first end of the elongated shaft, such that the elongated shaft and the retractor blade define a hook shape, and
 wherein retracting the tissue comprises engaging the tissue with the hook.   
     
     
         25 . A method of making a surgical retractor, comprising:
 forming an elongated shaft extending from a first end to a second end, wherein forming the elongated shaft comprises:
 (i) forming an internal chamber in the elongated shaft, 
 (ii) forming a handle portion at the first end of the elongated shaft, 
 (iii) forming a suction conduit in a first lateral portion of the internal chamber, wherein the suction conduit extends from a suction port at the first end to a suction aperture at the second end, 
 (iv) forming a light conduit in a second lateral portion of the internal chamber, wherein the light conduit extends from a light-input port at the first end to a light aperture at the second end, 
   forming a retractor blade extending from the second end of the elongated shaft; and   positioning an optical waveguide in the light conduit of the elongated shaft.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising optically coupling a light source to the light-input port to couple the light source to the optical waveguide in the light conduit. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising coupling the suction port to a vacuum source. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the elongated shaft further comprises fluidly sealing the suction conduit from the light conduit. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the elongated shaft further comprises forming the suction aperture and the light aperture to be coplanar with each other. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the retractor blade comprises forming a proximal portion and forming a distal portion such that the proximal portion of the retractor blade is wider than the distal portion of the retractor blade. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein forming the proximal portion of the retractor blade comprises forming the proximal portion with a shape that tapers inwardly along a direction from the elongated shaft toward the distal portion of the retractor blade. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the retractor blade comprises forming a protrusion, which extends in a direction that is parallel to a direction from the second end of the elongated shaft toward the first end of the elongated shaft, such that the elongated shaft and the retractor blade define a hook shape. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the elongated shaft comprises forming the elongated shaft with a width between a first lateral side and a second lateral side that tapers inwardly towards a center of the elongated shaft along a direction from the first end toward the second end. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein forming the elongated shaft comprises forming the elongated shaft with a height between a top surface and a bottom surface such that the height of the elongated shaft is greater at the handle portion than the height of the elongated shaft at the second end. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the elongated shaft comprises coupling a cover portion to a base portion to form the internal chamber. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein forming the elongated shaft comprises forming the base portion with a partition wall that separates the suction conduit and the light conduit from each other.